1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells include a solid polymer electrolyte membrane that is a polymer ion-exchange membrane. The fuel cells include a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), in which an anode electrode is disposed on one side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane and a cathode electrode is disposed on the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. Each of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode includes a catalyst layer (electrode catalyst layer) and a gas diffusion layer (porous carbon).
A membrane electrode assembly and a pair of separators (bipolar plates), sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly therebetween, constitute a fuel cell. A fuel cell stack, in which a predetermined number of such fuel cells are stacked, is used, for example, as a vehicle fuel cell stack.
Regarding fuel cell vehicles, a layout in which a fuel cell stack is disposed in a front compartment (motor compartment) of a vehicle, is known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-40950 discloses a fuel cell automobile in which a closed space, for mounting a fuel cell as a power source of the automobile, is disposed in front of a passenger compartment. At least one of a first opening, which is located above the closed space, and a second opening, which is located at a position where a negative pressure is generated when the automobile is being driven, is provided, so that hydrogen leaked from the fuel cell system into the closed space can be discharged.
It is described that, with this structure, in the case where an opening is provided above the closed space, hydrogen leaked from the fuel cell system into the close space can be reliably discharged to the outside of the automobile, particularly when the automobile is not being driven. It is described that, in the case where an opening is provided at a position where a negative pressure is generated, hydrogen leaked from the fuel cell system when the automobile is being driven can be reliably discharged from the closed space.